Action Rifle, 3 Gun & 2 Gun Rules
1. Safety Rules: 1.1 Competitors are subject to match disqualification for violation of any rule or regulation in sections 1 or 2. 1.2 Hernando Action Matches (Rifle, 2 Gun and 3 Gun) are run on a COLD RANGE. Competitors firearms will remain unloaded except under the direction of a match official. 1.3 Designated Safe Tables are marked with signs. Unloaded firearms may be handled only at the Safe Tables. No ammunition may be handled at any Safe Table. 1.4 Rifles and shotguns should be cased or carried with the muzzle straight up or straight down with actions open, flagged, and detachable magazines removed. Those with gun carts should be mindful of muzzle direction when removing and stowing firearms. 1.5 Handguns must be cased or remain in holster, magazine removed and hammer down. On stages, the Ready Condition of handguns must be “Hammer Down” for DA autos and revolvers, and “Cocked and Locked” for SA autos of DA autos with manual override safeties. 1.6 Abandoned firearms must be COMPLETELY EMPTY of all ammunition unless placed in a dump barrel, then safety must be engaged.. Chamber may be closed, magazine may be in provided no ammunition remains. 1.7 No competitors or spectators shall consume or be under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs at the match site before or during shooting. Any competitor found to be impaired and deemed unsafe as a result of legitimate prescription drugs may be required to stop shooting and possibly requested to leave the range. 1.8 Eye and ear protection is mandatory for competitors, spectators and range personnel while on or near a stage of fire. 2. Match Disqualifications: 2.1 Breaking the 180 degree plane. 2.2 Accidental Discharge. 2.3 Round Escaping the Range. 2.4 Dropping a loaded or unloaded firearm during the course of fire. 2.5 Ammunition Handled at a Safe Table. 2.6 Ammunition in an Abandoned Firearm(not in barrel), safety off in barrel. 2.7 Backing up in the Shoot House. 2.8 Unsportsmanlike Conduct 2.9 Cheating, consuming or be under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs at the match site while shooting is under way, fighting. This is not an inclusive list of unsportsmanlike conduct. 3. Sportsmanship and Conduct: 3.1 Competitors and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a courteous, sportsman-like manner at all times. Disputes will be handled promptly and fairly by the match director. 3.2 Clothing with offensive or obscene logos, sayings, pictures or drawings will not be worn or displayed while at the range. 3.3 Any competitor with a handicap may request, or be required, to shoot the courses of fire other than intended, but may incur a penalty in time of 25% of their stage time.. The match director will rule on any such request on a case-by-case basis.
3.4
Range Officers may assess additional “unsportsmanlike conduct” penalties to competitors that intentionally fail to make a good faith effort to engage and hit targets in order to gain advantage. The Match Director shall be the final arbiter of any such penalties. 3.5 Collecting more brass than you shot will be considered “unsportsmanlike conduct”. Left brass goes to the Range Master. 4. Ammunition: 4.1 No tracer, incendiary, armor piercing, steel jacketed, or steel core ammunition is allowed. 4.2 Handgun ammunition must be 9x19 or larger, except for rimfire matches. 4.3 Shotgun ammunition must be 20ga or larger, LEAD SHOT and SLUGS ONLY. No steel shot is allowed and slugs may be prohibited on some targets. 4.4 Use of prohibited ammunition may result in disqualification. 5. Firearms: 5.1 All firearms used by competitors must be serviceable and safe. 5.2 If a competitor’s firearm becomes unserviceable during competition, that competitor may replace his/her firearm with another of the same, or similar, model, caliber and sighting system approved by the Match Director. 5.3 A firearm consists of a specific caliber, receiver, barrel, stock, and sighting system. 5.4 The same firearm system, for each gun, shall be used during the entire match. The Match Director may allow exceptions to this rule and may apply penalties for the exception. 5.5 Competitors may not reconfigure any firearm during the course of the match. (ie change caliber, barrel length, shotgun magazine length, sighting system or stock style; changing shotgun choke tubes is not considered reconfiguring). 5.6 Certain firearm supporting devices may be prohibited by the match director. (ie Supporting devices that risk damage to props or pose a risk to shooters.) 6. Firearms Classifications (Open, Tactical, Limited, Tactical Heavy, Heavy Metal): 6.1 Handgun 6.1.1 Open : No limitation on accessories. 6.1.2 Tactical: Handguns must be of a factory configuration. 6.1.2.1 Internal modifications are allowed provided they do not alter the original factory configuration. 6.1.2.2 Handguns with custom or factory installed electronic sights, optical sights, extended sights, compensators or barrel porting are NOT allowed in this class. 6.1.3 Limited: Same as Tactical. 6.1.4 Heavy Metal: Handguns must comply with Tactical handgun rules with the following exceptions: 6.1.4.1 Handguns must be 45 caliber and must not be loaded with more than 9 rounds at any time. (8 in the mag, 1 chambered) 6.2 Rifle 6.2.1 Open: No limitation on accessories. 6.2.2 Tactical: Rifles must be of a factory configuration. 6.2.2.1 Internal modifications are allowed provided they do not alter the original factory configuration. 6.2.2.2 Tactical rifles may be equipped with no more than one optical sight. 6.2.2.3 Rifle supporting devices (ie Bipods, etc.) are not allowed in this class. 6.2.2.4 Rifle may have a compensator that is no more than 1” in diameter and 3” in length.
6.2.3 Limited: Rifles must be of a factory configuration. 6.2.3.1 Internal modifications are allowed provided they do not alter the original factory configuration. 6.2.3.2 Limited rifles may be equipped with one non-magnifying optic which is on the same plane as the standard iron sights and the bore-line (if in addition, the sights must co-witness) in addition to or in place of iron sights. 6.2.3.3 Rifle supporting devices (ie Bipods, etc.) are not allowed in this class. 6.2.3.4 Rifle may have a compensator that is no more than 1” in diameter and 3” in length. 6.2.4 Tactical Heavy: 6.2.4.1 Rifles must comply with Tactical class rifle rules. 6.2.4.2 Rifles must be .308 Winchester (7.62 x 51 NATO) or larger caliber. 6.2.5 Heavy Metal: 6.2.5.1 Rifle must comply with Tactical rifle rules. 6.2.5.2 Rifles must be .308 Winchester (7.62 x 51 NATO) or larger caliber. 6.2.5.3 No magazine shall have more than 20 rounds loaded at any time. 6.2.5.4 Heavy Metal rifles may be equipped with one non-magnifying optic which is in the same plane as standard iron sights and the bore-line (if in addition, the sights must co-witness) in addition to or in place of iron sights. 6.3 Shotgun 6.3.1 Open: 6.3.1.1 No limitation on accessories. 6.3.1.2 Shotgun detachable magazines and speed loaders are allowed in Open. 6.3.1.2.1 Shotgun speed loaders must have a primer relief cut. 6.3.1.3 Magazine tube length may not be changed for the duration of the match. 6.3.2 Tactical: 6.3.2.1 6.3.2.2 6.3.2.3 6.3.2.4 6.3.2.5 6.3.2.6
Shotguns must be of a factory configuration. Internal modifications are allowed provided they do not alter the original factory configuration. No electronic or optical sights are allowed on shotguns in this class. Supporting devices (ie Bipods, etc.) are not allowed. Compensators or porting on barrels are not allowed. No shotgun in Tactical class may be loaded with more than 9 rounds at any time, or hold over 8 rounds in the magazine tube. 6.3.2.7 Magazine tube length may not be changed for the duration of the match. 6.3.2.8 Detachable magazines are not allowed in this class. 6.3.3 Heavy Metal: 6.3.3.1 Shotguns must comply with Tactical shotgun rules. 6.3.3.2 Only 12 gauge shotguns are allowed. 6.3.3.3 Only pump actions are allowed. 7. Holsters and other Equipment – All Classes 7.1 The handgun holster must be capable of retaining the handgun during the vigorous movement that may be required or otherwise encountered during the courses of fire. 7.2 The handgun holster must allow the competitor to safely draw and re-holster the handgun without causing the muzzle to point in an unsafe direction. 7.3 The holster material must completely cover and protect the handgun’s trigger. 7.4 The competitor must use the same handgun holster for the duration of the match.
7.5 Spare ammunition, magazines, speed loaders, and other equipment should be secured in pouches, pockets and/or carriers on the competitor’s person or firearm if not otherwise specified in the stage description. 7.6 The competitor may not abandon any equipment during a course of fire except detachable magazines, speed loaders, or ammunition clips, unless so directed by the Range Officer and/or stage description. 8. Classes: 8.1 Open: 8.1.1 Any Open Class gun or Open Class equipment puts the competitor in Open Class for the entire match. 8.1.2 Competitors will shoot firearms which comply with the Firearms Classification rules for Open Class. 8.2 Limited: Competitors will shoot firearms which comply with the Firearms Classification rules for Limited. 8.3 Tactical: Competitors will shoot firearms which comply with the Firearms Classification rules for Tactical. 8.4 Heavy Metal: Competitors will shoot firearms which comply with the Firearms Classification rules for Heavy Metal. 9. Scoring: 9.1 Scoring per stage will be straight time plus penalties. A maximum time allowed to shoot any stage will be set prior to the start of the match. Unless otherwise stated, this will be 200 seconds. (3.3 min) After the time limit has elapsed, the competitor will be stopped and the stage scored. 9.1.1 IPSC and IDPA targets designated as “shoot” targets require one ‘A’ hit or two hits anywhere in the scoring area. (ie no penalties) Some targets MAY be exempted from this rule and only require one (1) hit to neutralize. 9.1.2 IPSC and IDPA targets that are not hit receive a 10 second penalty. Those that are hit, but not neutralized will receive a 5 second penalty. 9.1.3 The entire head of IPSC and IDPA targets is considered an “A” zone. 9.1.4 9.1.5 Targets designated as “No Shoot” will receive a 10 second penalty if hit. The number of hits on a given “No Shoot” target does not matter. 9.1.6 Paper targets that are not IPSC or IDPA targets require one (1) hit to neutralize, and incur a 10 second penalty if not hit. 9.1.7 Non-Paper Targets 9.1.7.1 Knock down targets (ie poppers or other steel) must fall to score. If a steel plate turns edge-on to the shooter, it is considered down for safety reasons. 9.1.7.2 Frangible targets must break to score. (One BB hole is a break) 9.1.7.3 Swinging style rifle targets must be struck solidly enough to cause the hidden “flash card” to be visible to the Range Officer. The Range Officer and/or designated spotters will call hits. 9.1.7.4 Engaging a frangible, knock-down or swinging target by firing at least one round at it but not breaking it, knocking it down or causing the target to react will result in a 10 second penalty. 9.1.8 Procedural penalties, 10 seconds, may be assessed for failing to follow stage procedures. 10. Arbitration Rules and General Principles 10.1 Administration – Occasional disputes are inevitable in any competitive activity governed by rules. Remaining calm and rational during arbitration will make an unpleasant job bearable. 10.2 Decisions are made initially by the Range Officer for the stage. In the event of disagreement by the competitor, The Match Director will be asked to rule. His/her decision is FINAL.
